Eden Beach
Overview
Bulk Earthworks – Retaining walls
Underground Services – Roadworks
Detail
RJV began works on the master-planned Brighton Development in 2000 and has completed every stage of this significant development since that time through both ongoing negotiated contract and open tender. RJV has created an average of 500 lots per year for release since construction began and has expanded its fleet of plant and equipment to meet the high demands of the sales climate over the last twelve years. Approximately 6 million m3 of limestone rock and coastal sand has been moved during bulk earthworks operations to date.
Extensive road networks, retaining walls, fencing and services such as drainage, power, lighting, sewer and water for sub-divisional works has all been completed to a high standard. RJV also coordinated the installation of Telstra, gas, non-potable irrigation and other service contractors for miscellaneous services within the Brighton. RJV has also been pivotal in providing the key infrastructure elements associated with this development including road and trunk main service networks, lakes, public open spaces, village centres, schools and shops.
Value-added initiatives: RJV has developed a process for onsite screening of excavated rock / sand material for re-use in trenching that has been able to conserve sand resources onsite. The method developed involves staged screening of trenching material to produce suitable backfill and bedding sand, thereby eliminating the need to source expensive imported sand from offsite. RJV also utilise the Erkat rockwheels onsite to efficiently excavate site trenches, particularly through the solid limestone rock within Brighton. The benefit of using the rockwheel was evident in its ability to produce neat trenches quickly in comparison to rock breaking.
RJV’s presence at Brighton has also been a platform for RJV to provide further services for projects in the local area. In 2010 RJV was awarded the Butler Railway Earthworks Extension Project by the Public Transport Authority, where approx 500,000 m3 of cut to fill earthworks were required to develop the railway cut through the Brighton development. As part of this project crushed onsite limestone cut material was processed into a MRWA specification subbase product. This material was suitable for use as part of road works at Brighton negating the need to import limestone from quarries outside of the local area.
RJV was also able to utilise sand / limestone excess material out of the railway cut as deep fill to Butler High School works that was being completed concurrently. RJV was able to provide significantly cheaper rates for fill material than local quarries and provided cost savings to the client.
RJV has also completed a project at North Butler Primary School for the Department of Finance, Building and Maintenance Works. This project required screening of excavated material to provide drainage aggregate suitable for infiltration drains onsite. RJV’s screening operations that were already in the area naturally lend itself to the works. The project also required the removal of limestone rock offsite to reduce the levels of the site. Through liaising with the consulting engineer for Brighton, RJV was able to source a fill location for future stages at Brighton and therefore offered a discounted rate for the excavation and removal of rock material from the North Butler Primary School Site, as well as provide fill material for future stages within Brighton.
RJV’s experience in hard rock conditions, skilled operators and large D11 and D10 dozers has meant that each earthworks stage of Brighton has progressed with no need to blast the limestone caprock. RJV has been able to remove the risk of drill and blasting from the client through the rock ripping techniques developed over time at Brighton, all whilst still meeting program requirements and providing a quality product to the client.
As part of the development RJV also undertook bulk earthworks and civil works development at Jindalee for client MQ1. This project has run alongside Brighton and has been able to benefit from the level of resources and personnel RJV has positioned in the Brighton area.
Project Outcomes: To date RJV has been able to deliver each stage on time and within budget with multiple stages running concurrently. Key to the success of the development has been RJV’s commitment of plant, equipment and human resources to the development. RJV has been able to utilise the right equipment from its internal plant and equipment list for the project.